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<title>I don't expect you to understand. by khanumoftheworld</title>
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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23962816">I don't expect you to understand.</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/khanumoftheworld/pseuds/khanumoftheworld'>khanumoftheworld</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Batman (Comics), Batman - All Media Types, Red Hood and the Outlaws (Comics), Red Hood: Lost Days, Under the Red Hood</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Character Study, Jason Todd Deserves Better, Jason Todd Has Daddy Issues, Jason Todd Has Feelings, Jason Todd Has Issues, Jason Todd Has Mental Health Issues, Jason Todd Needs A Hug, Jason Todd-centric, One Shot, Self-Acceptance, Self-Doubt, Self-Reflection</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-05-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-05-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 16:08:48</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>419</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23962816</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/khanumoftheworld/pseuds/khanumoftheworld</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Jason Todd is not what people think he is. But he's the only one who knows this (so far).</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>107</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>I don't expect you to understand.</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>we are gathered here today for another angsty oneshot. So far the only kinds of fics I can write, but I hope to get enough ideas to write something multi-chaptered soon !<br/>Anyways I was sad and listening to 'Bloody Valentine' by Machine Gun Kelly and this idea opened a new tab in my brain.<br/>I guess Bloody Valentine gives the vibe for this fic, so listen to it if you can!<br/>Thanks for reading UwU<br/>If you feel like it, leave a comment! It means a lot for sad bitch authors :,)</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Some would say that the Red Hood was a creature, a soldier in the night whose sole purpose was to avenge the innocent maimed by Gotham’s bloody disease of crime and violence.</p>
<p>Some would say he was unhinged ,angry ,unstable and unpredictable. He never had an easy life. Abused from a young age, conditioned into a bloodthirsty warrior to fight for his survival; it was expected that he would be a wolf in a society of sheep. <br/>Being considered second best to Dick Grayson, being replaced by Tim Drake; it just made him more unhinged, more vicious, more irascible. He never really bothered to get close to most of the Batfamily, except in situations where his true feelings of wanting to belong would lead him to trying harder than usual. </p>
<p>But, no one would really get who Jason Peter Todd was. It was fine. It was the invisible rule that bound the fragile allegiances of those in the Batfamily. They were all made to learn from the cautionary tale of Jason Todd. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em> Control your emotions. Control your temper. Control your bloodlust. Control, control, control.  </em>
</p>
<p>Bruce’s instructions to the rest of the family would further alienate him.</p>
<p>Did Bruce know that it would? Yes.</p>
<p>Did he care? No. </p>
<p>His only concern had always been himself. He would never allow the tragedy that had befallen him happen to the rest of Gothamites.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Jason Todd lay on his bed, thoughts swirling in his head. He wasn’t just some mindless, trigger-happy fighter. He wasn’t some unhinged bastard who didn’t care about those around him. He was not a product of Willis Todd, Bruce Wayne or the Joker. He was nobody’s son. </p>
<p>He was way more than what people , even his so called ‘family’ painted him out to be. He was strong, loyal, brave, true. He was a fucking survivor. And nobody could take his hard-earned <em> strength </em>away from him by sticking it over with another tiresome label.</p>
<p>He knew who was. </p>
<p><em> It doesn’t matter if no one understands me . No one was there when I died. No one was there when I crawled out of the grave. So I </em> <b> <em>don’t </em> </b> <em> need anyone to hold my hand and tell me they love me; I don’t need a support system. </em></p>
<p> </p>
<p>No matter how many times he told himself that, and willed his words into actions, a little part of him always wanted to belong. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Maybe he would, maybe he would never.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>But he knew one thing. He would stay true to himself <em> no matter what </em>.</p>
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